Dare to Fall

Chapter XXIX

"So, tell me, how did we end up sharing a beach house with them?" I asked, crossing my arms as I looked down at Amelia, who was busy unpacking her suitcase. "I thought this place was just for us."

She paused, letting out a deep sigh, then shrugged her shoulders as if to say it was out of her hands. I watched as she continued to unpack, folding her clothes neatly and placing them in the wardrobe.

I rolled my eyes and plopped down onto the bed, trying to process this unexpected situation. Once she finished, she closed her suitcase and pushed it aside to clear the floor, then sat beside me, taking a deep breath.

"I really didn't expect it to be them," she said, locking eyes with me. I narrowed my brows, waiting for more.

"So you knew we were sharing a house?" I asked, disbelief evident in my tone.

She nodded slowly. "I didn't know it would be them, though," she said, her voice almost apologetic. "When I talked to the lady about booking a beach house with the best view, she said we'd have to share. I was against it at first."

"Who are 'they'?" I pressed.

"She just said it was a group of guys, and I thought—well, if they're cute, it could be fun, right?" Amelia grinned, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes again.

"Okay, but still," I replied, my frustration bubbling. "You should've told me sooner."

"I know, I know," she said, rolling her eyes dramatically like a child caught in a lie.

Before I could scold her again, someone knocked loudly at the door.

"Come in!" Amelia shouted, and I turned to see Noah step inside.

"We're going to set up a campfire in about thirty minutes. You guys want to join?" he asked.

I exchanged glances with Amelia, raising my eyebrow.

"No," I said firmly.

"Yes," she replied in sync with me, her enthusiasm contradicting my reluctance. I shot her a questioning look.

"No way," I mouthed, but she shrugged me off.

"Yeah, we're coming. See you there," Amelia said, trying to keep her excitement in check as Noah left the room.

"I'm not going," I insisted, flopping back onto the bed and reaching for my favorite book, The Fault in Our Stars. I had read it a hundred times, but it never failed to distract me.

"No, no, no," Amelia protested, grabbing my ankle and trying to pull me off the bed. I held onto the blanket for dear life. "We're here for a vacation, not just to be by ourselves."

She had a point. We had agreed to spend our Spring Break with friends, but the idea of watching Netflix alone sounded far more appealing than mingling with a group of guys.

"Fine, I'll come after I grab a snack," I finally conceded, jumping up to head for the kitchen.

I rummaged through my backpack for my phone and made my way to the kitchen, where the scent of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air. Chips Ahoy. I sat down on a stool, scrolling through Pinterest while munching on a couple of cookies.

Just as I was about to take a huge bite, Cayden walked in, earbuds in, lost in his own world. Seeing him in the kitchen was unexpected; it was strange to think we'd be sharing a house for the next five days.

I quickly shoved a cookie in my mouth, attempting to eat it all at once, but a cough escaped as I started to choke. Cayden looked over, eyebrows raised, clearly concerned.